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A distinct species status of Ixodes kaiseri Artur, 1957 is restored. The species has been reduced recently to a synonym of I. crenulatus Koch, 1844 (Sonenshine, Kohls a. Clifford, 1969). I. kaiseri differs from close to it I. crenulatus at all phases of its life cycle. On the basis of collection material deposited in the Zoological Institute of the Academy of Sciences, USSR, I. kaiseri has the following distribution in the USSR: Moldavia, southern Ukraine including the Crimea, northern Caucasus and Transcaucasia. Abroad the species has the following distribution records: Rumania, that is known from the collection material, and Egypt and Israel, that is known from literature. In all phases of its life cycle I. kaiseri parasitizes mainly predatory mammals. Its development proceeds in burrows of these animals. In Moldavia and Crimea there was established a close coexistence of I. kaiseri and I. crenulatus; corresponding phases of the life cycle of both species often parasitize simultaneously the same host. However, parasitism of I. crenulatus on predators is more characteristic of this species in the western part of its distribution area, while in its main part, mountains of Middle Asia, Kazakhstan, southern Siberia, I. crenulatus is a typical parasite of Marmota. A close relation of I. crenulatus with predatory mammals in the european part of the area is apparently secondary in its nature and is stimulated by almost complete disappearance of Marmota from Europe. In relict colonies of Marmota I. crenulatus occurs in masse. The separation of I. kaiseri does not effect for the present the character of the area of I. crenulatus in the european part of the area of the latter.

The paper describes the life cycle of the mite Haemogamasus kitanoi and its distribution in Kazakhstan. New data are given concerning the feeding, reproduction, survival and parthenogenesis of the mite. Starvation periods and other biological characters are indicated.

When studying ticks-trombiculids collected from small mammals three new species have been discovered. They refer to different genera: Neotrombicula rostrata sp. n., the general formula is SIF-6BS—N—3—3.1.1—1—0.0.0, close to N. alva Schluger, 1967, Microtrombicula subtropica sp. n., the general formula is SIF-5BS—B—2—3.1.1—1—0.0.0; close to M. gratiosa Schluger et Kudrjaschowa, 1967; Miyatrombicula barbatulus sp. n., general formula SIF-7BS—N—3—3.1.1—1—1.0.0.0, close to M. caucasica Muljarskaja, 1969.

New IVth stage larvae of Culicoides ustinovi Shev. and C. homochrous Remm are described which under laboratory conditions developed into adults.

The paper presents data on the morphology and habitats of larvae of Atylotus pulchellus karybenthinus Szil. collected in the environs of Ashkhabad (Turkmenia). A key to larvae of three known species of Atylotus is given.

The work was conducted in forest—tundra of Central Chukotka (the basin of the middle course of the Omolon river) in 1968—1969. For the first time there vere observed mass attacks of Culiseta alaskaensis Ludl. Maximum number of attacking insects was 573 specimens per 3 minutes. It was first noted that bloodsucking mosquitoes of the genus Aedes (A. hexodontus Dyar and A. impiger Walk.) attacked Cephenemyia trompe Modeer during their hatching period. Swarming of Aedes rempeli Vock. which rearly occurs in Siberia was observed too.

Tests on the infection of the flea Ceratophyllus consimilis with Salmonella typhimurium established a long (23 days) preservation period of microbes, their reproduction and transmission to healthy white mice through a bite.

A new species of monogeneans, Dactylogyrus caucasicus sp. n., is described. The species was found on the gills of Alburnoides bipunctatus eichwaldi from mountain parts of the Kura river and A. bipunctatus rossicus natio kubanicus from the Kuban river.

The authors did the first electron microscope studies of the rise and formation of the cuticular-subcuticular complex of Triaenophorus nodulosus and associated structures in the period of the transformation of oncosphere into procercoid. The initial stages of larval formation in the body cavity of cyclops proceed under the protection of a dense membrane (the first 24 hours of the development). Then the dense membrane disappears and numerous irregularly arranged microvilli arise on the surface of the body. They are analogous to those of the intestinal epithelium of the animals (the 2nd—3d day of the development). A regular arrangement of microvilli and genesis of internal structures of the upper layer proceed on the 4th—7th day. Between the 7th and 8th day microvilli disappear and take place an anlage and full development of new organoids of cestodes microtrichiae. Microtrichiae preserve a similar structure on the subsequent developmental phases of the parasite (both in plerocercoid and adult). The final formation of microtrichiae, cuticle and subcuticular layer of procercoid of T. nodulosus occurs on the 8th—9th day. The change of ultrastructures of the body surface is associated with the change of made of feeding at various stages of the development of procercoid.

Up to now branchiopods have not been reported as intermediate hosts of helminths. On studying the biology of cestodes parasitic in flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus) it was established that Artemia salina and Branchinella spinosa participate in the life cycles of cestodes, hymenolepidids of aquatic birds from Lake Tengiz (northern Kazakhstan). In Lake Tengiz the spontaneous infection of branchiopods with cysticercoides attains 6.1%. In all, 10 species of cysticercoids of Hymenolepididae were found in A. salina and B. spinosa. Figures and descriptions of Flamingolepis dolguschini, F. tengizi (parasites of flamingo) and Aploparaksis parajilum (parasites of waders) are given. Branchiopods of Lake Tengiz are the main source of feeding for aquatic birds and play the main part in the circulation of many species of cestodes, parasites of flamingo.

New data are presented oil the morphology and biology of cysticercoids (Tatria decacantha) from adult dragonflies. It was found that in cysticercoids hooks are at the apex of proboscis. This suggests that hooks occupy the same position in mature worms too. However, this suggestion should be proved by more careful studies on live objects. Up to now 9 of 10 species of dragonflies, in which cysticercoids of this cestode were found, have not been reported as intermediate hosts.

The effect of ions of sodium, potassium and calcium on cestodes was first studied by a new method of locomotor activity registration. It was established that ions of sodium and potassium play an important part in the regulation of tonic contractions of helminths while ions of calcium are responsible for the formation of phase contractions. A part of each ion in the regulation of the locomotor activity depends, apparently, on the permeability of the membrane of their muscular cells and their intracellular content. A small deviation in the proportion of the ions from that of the normal Ringer's solution affects the character of the locomotor activity of cestodes.

A curvilinear relationship was found to exist between the number of nematodes of different ecological groups from samples of Fragaria ananassa Duch. It was established that in rosettes of the plants between the percentage of individuals of Ditylenchus dipsaci (Kühn) and that of saprobionts (Panagrolaimidae, Cephalobidae, Rhabditidae) exists a relation close to rectilinear one.

It was established that when infecting white mice the strain of Flagellata isolated from Sergentomyia clydei caught in colonies of gerbils in the nidi of cutaneous leishmaniasis (south-western Turkmenia) does not possess distinct virulence. In its antigenic properties this strain is identical with Leishmania tropica major and consequently S. clydei can take part in epizootological processes proceeding in natural nidi of zoonose cutaneous leishmaniasis.

Three species of microsporidians were discovered in the larvae of 12 species of Aedes mosquitoes. In natural conditions and in the tests with transovarial transmission of microsporidia the infection did not exceed 2%. During peroral transmission 50% of larvae were infected.

Epizootiae of entomophthorosis among mosquitoes Culex pipiens pipiens caused by parasitism of Entomophtora conglomerata Sorok. were registered in July of 1968 in Odessa and in July—September of 1970 in Lenkoran. Dead imagos were abundant on the surface of water and in coastal vegetation near hatching sites. No cases of entomophthorosis among the С. p. pipiens population were observed in the Tashkent district (Uzbekistan). In the Tashkent district and Lenkoran, where only females of C. p. pipiens were investigated, in summer there were registered solitary cases of infection with Coelomycidum. The paper describes some external characters in infected mosquitoes, sporangia of Coelomycidium and their localization in the host's body.

A study of the capacity of Lamblia to penetrate through tissue barriers by means of common parasitological methods of staining is limited by difficulties of their identification in tissues. The authors suggest to use PAS-reaction for the staining of sections as it well distinguishes Lamblia lying as in the lumen of the intestine so among its tissue structures.

Summary is absent.

Summary is absent.

Summary is absent.